Ariene watched in tears as the black van drove off with her father inside. She screamed at the top of her lungs and collapsed onto the ground, crying.
"It's my fault that Father was taken! sniffs Yes, it's my fault! waaaaaaa I'm stupid, useless, foolish, and selfish! I hate myself! Arrrghhh! If I hadn't gone out, Father wouldn't have opened the door to those strangers! waaaaaaa... I should have listened to him! sniffs What am I going to do? sniffs Where do I even start?" she wailed helplessly.
She rolled around in the mud, sobbing uncontrollably. Her father was all she had in the world. She had promised to make him happy always, yet now—she was the reason he had been kidnapped.
Yes, she was beautiful, but she had always been a loner. Since childhood, no one wanted to be her friend. They all called her father an evil man. But she never saw him that way. He was loving—caring. So why did everyone speak so ill of him? She tried to ignore them, but deep down, it hurt that nobody wanted to be around her. Nobody wanted to be friends with the daughter of a man who worked for a notorious drug lord… and a killer.
Suddenly, something clicked in her mind. She jumped up and ran back inside the house. Storming into her father's room, she rummaged through his things until she found his cell phone. Sitting down, she quickly scrolled through his call log. Her eyes landed on an unknown number with a recent timestamp. Her face twitched as she dialed the number.
"Who is this?" a man's voice answered coldly.
"Please… did you take my father?" Ariene asked through her tears.
"Oho! So Gustavo was hiding you all this time? That explains why we couldn't find you. Well, yes—I took your father. Want to be with him?" the man said with a chuckle.
"C-Can I s-s-see you? P-Please… sir," she begged, choking on her words.
"Hahaha… why not?" the man said and ended the call.
Ariene stared at the phone, sobbing. A moment later, she received a text with an address. Wiping her tears, she returned to her room, changed clothes, packed her bag, and walked out of the house. Standing outside, she looked at it one last time, then headed to the road with heavy tears streaming down her face.
»»»»»
A cab stopped in front of a massive gate. Ariene stepped out, paid the driver, and walked toward the entrance. With slow, heavy steps, she knocked. The gate creaked open—by no one in particular. She stood frozen until she heard a voice say, "Enter."
She stepped in, and the gate closed behind her.
Gulping nervously, her eyes widened at the sight of the grand mansion. It was the biggest house she had ever seen. If only she wasn't here because of her dad...
"What are you standing there for? Come inside!" a voice snapped, snapping her back to reality.
She entered through the door and gasped. The interior was breathtaking—the design, the furniture, everything was perfect. She stood transfixed, unaware of the man who had come to stand beside her.
"Such a beauty. No wonder your father kept hiding you from me," the man said.
Ariene jumped in fright. Turning, she saw the man beside her. Her heart dropped.
"Mr. Qin?!" she screamed mentally, recognizing him immediately. This was the man everyone feared—the one even the government couldn't touch.
"S-Sir! A-Are y-you t-the one who t-took my father?" she asked, voice trembling.
"Oh yes, I am," Mr. Qin said with a grin. "Perhaps your father never told you about me? No problem—you'll get to know me well."
"Please, where is my father?" she asked, ignoring everything else.
"Do you want to join him?" Mr. Qin asked calmly.
"I want to see him. Please, sir!" Ariene dropped to her knees, pleading.
"No, you can't. He's mine now, and I'll do whatever I want with him," he said without emotion.
"Please let my father go! Don't kill him, I beg you!" she sobbed, tears streaming down her pale face.
"Only on one condition. Serve my son for two years, and I'll grant your father freedom. Accepted… or declined?" he asked with a sly grin.
"I will!!" Ariene cried out without hesitation.
Mr. Qin smiled and walked away, leaving her kneeling and alone. She kept crying until a man came and yanked her to her feet.
"Come with me," he ordered and dragged her out of the sitting room.
------
In a dark room, dimly lit by a lantern hanging above, sat a man tied to a chair. His hands and feet were bound. Mr. Gustavo was weak from earlier resistance. Tears slipped down his face as he muttered to himself.
"Ariene… Father is so sorry. So terribly sorry. I shouldn't have dragged you into this mess. I hope… I hope you're safe…"
The door creaked open, and he raised his head slowly.
"Gustavo. Not pleased to see me?" Mr. Qin asked as he stepped in.
"What do you want?" Gustavo asked weakly.
"Tsk. Always in a hurry. You forget—the day you chose to serve me, you vowed to do so until death. That's why no one escapes me. I always find them… until they die or return."
"Mr. Qin… just kill me already. Let me be," Gustavo pleaded.
"Hahaha! Kill you? No. You're still useful."
He leaned down and grabbed Gustavo's chin.
"You will continue working for me," he said and released him.
"I won't! Kill me instead!" Gustavo shouted, his voice cracking.
"You don't have a choice," Mr. Qin sneered. "You know why? Because if you don't comply… I'll take your daughter."
Fear exploded in Gustavo's eyes.
"Leave her out of this! She knows nothing! Please—"
"Her safety is in your hands. Choose wisely… or you'll lose her," Mr. Qin warned, walking toward the door.
"Mr. Qin!" Gustavo called out.
Mr. Qin paused.
"Leave her alone… and I'll continue," he whispered in defeat.
A satisfied smirk curved Mr. Qin's lips as he walked out. Using both father and daughter... now that sounds fun, he thought.
-----
"Father, what did you say?" a young man in his thirties asked, sitting close to Mr. Qin. His long hair fell across his shoulders.
"I said—I got you a slave to have fun with," Mr. Qin said casually, sipping his wine.
"Who?" the young man asked, surprised. His father had never done that before.
"Gustavo's daughter."
"Huh? I thought he ran away. You found him?"
Mr. Qin smiled. "Of course. Did you think I wouldn't? He's the best man I've ever worked with—brings in so much money. But I didn't expect his daughter to be so foolish... she offered herself for his freedom."
"Wow, Father! That's impressive. I'm proud of how you handle things. Hahaha. So… where is she?"
"In the guest room. You'll like her."
--------
Ariene lay on the bed, eyes swollen from crying. She had cried herself weak. All she could do now was hope her father was safe.
"Just like my father said… you are pretty," a voice said suddenly, startling her.
She sat up quickly, eyes wide.
"Easy now… I don't bite. At least, not yet," the young man said, sitting beside her.
She instinctively moved back.
"W-Who a-are y-you?" she stammered.
"My name is Nuel. I guess you already know my father?"
She looked away.
"Where is my father?" she asked suddenly.
"Safe, of course. My father already set him free, as you wished. And that's why I'm here," he said with a smirk.
"I don't believe you!"
"Tsk… my father is a man of his word. Besides, you don't have a choice. From now on—you're mine. I'll be taking you home. Pack your bag. Oh—and don't even think of escaping… unless you want to die," Nuel warned and walked out.
Ariene wiped a lone tear from her cheek.
This was her decision. No one forced her into it.